


Make it home alright

by mousecat, notallballs (notallbees)



Series: Make it home alright stories [1]
Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: Established Relationship, M/M, Multi, Polyamory, Polyamory Negotiations, Post-Canon, eventual OT3
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-01-22
Updated: 2018-01-22
Packaged: 2019-02-23 19:46:15
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 13,516
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13197276
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mousecat/pseuds/mousecat, https://archiveofourown.org/users/notallbees/pseuds/notallballs
Summary: "So, I was thinking," Hajime said. "If you wanted to go on a date with someone...I don't think I'd mind."Oikawa stared at him. "What?" He asked in a hoarse voice."What?" Hajime said quickly. "I'm just saying.""Does Iwa-chan want to date someone else?"Just a story about three guys finding their way through a new kind of relationship.





	Make it home alright

**Author's Note:**

> hELLO THERE
> 
> It's been a while since we brought you something new (and we still intend to finish TTA...eventually!). We've been working on this for a long time now and I really hope you'll enjoy it even half as much as we've enjoyed writing it ♡ ～('▽^人)
> 
>  
> 
> also due to the piecemeal nature of the story and our erratic update schedule it won't be a chaptered fic, just a series of connected stories, so please subscribe [to the series](http://archiveofourown.org/series/926067) or one of our author pages if you want to follow the updates! :3

"Iwa-chan, I'm ho—ome!"

Hajime looked up reluctantly from his book and frowned at Oikawa. He was still in the hallway, hopping on one foot as he struggled to pull his boot off. 

"No shit," Hajime said instead of moving to help. "I thought it was just a really polite burglar."

"Well, what are you planning to do about it, Iwa-chan?" Oikawa asked in a sarcastic voice. "Make him a cup of tea?" He took off his scarf and flung it over a peg, before picking his way across the messy apartment to where Hajime sat with his knees tucked under the kotatsu. Oikawa flopped down behind him and wrapped his arms around Hajime's waist, pressing his forehead against the back of his neck. "Mm. I missed you."

Letting out a soft sigh, Hajime leaned back into him, and reached behind him to cup Oikawa's head. "I'm glad you're back."

Oikawa hummed again happily and tightened his grip, squeezing Hajime almost painfully. "Guess what, Iwa-chan?"

"Oi," Hajime groaned, jabbing an elbow back. "I need those organs."

"Are you sure?" Oikawa said, running ticklish fingers over his ribs instead. "You've filled out a bit, you know."

Hajime growled at him. "Watch it."

Oikawa laughed and nuzzled the back of his neck. "I didn't say I didn't like it," he murmured, hands roaming over Hajime's sweater. 

"Get off," Hajime grumbled, nudging him again. "Didn't you have something to tell me, anyway?"

"Oh!" Oikawa finally released him and shuffled around to the other side of the table. He took his time getting comfortable, and Hajime watched with growing impatience until he finally got settled. "Guess who I ran into today."

"Your ex-girlfriend."

Oikawa pulled a face. "No, thank goodness. Can you imagine?"

"I see her all the time," Hajime said evenly. It was a fib, but only a small one. Hajime worked in the same building as Oikawa's last girlfriend, Etsuko, but they were in different departments and their paths rarely crossed. She was always friendly toward him, but being reminded of her made Oikawa shifty and awkward. Hajime was endlessly amused by it.

"Don't tease," Oikawa whined. "I'm trying to tell you something."

Hajime squinted at him. "Was it Kageyama? That looks like your Kageyama face."

"Close!" Oikawa said, grinning. "I ran into Ushiwaka, and guess what? He was reading that stupid book you like so much."

Hajime's nose wrinkled. "Stupid—you mean The Blind Watchmaker?" 

"That's the one!" Oikawa said cheerfully, pulling off his backpack and rummaging through it. He produced a very battered copy of the Dawkins book and squinted at it. "He wanted me to read it, and he was so insistent I couldn't find a way to refuse. Isn't Dawkins a bit passé nowadays?"

"Nah, he's just a dick," Hajime said, reaching over to take the book from him. It was a different edition to his own, and well-read. When he flipped through it, the book fell open naturally to two of his favourite passages. "Huh. I guess anyone can surprise you. Maybe me and Ushiwaka should start a book club."

"Perhaps I'll join you," Oikawa said, sticking his tongue out. "We have another practice match next week, so I told him I'll read it by then and give it back."

"That's...surprisingly accommodating of you," Hajime said, handing the book back to him. He leaned closer when Oikawa grabbed it, and made an exaggerated show of sniffing him. "Have you been drinking?"

"No!" Oikawa said, laughing as he pushed Hajime away from him. "Well, I did have some sake at lunch time, but it was a business lunch. I could hardly avoid it."

Hajime squinted. "Oh my god, did Oikawa finally get his wish?"

"What?"

"Are you an alien that snatched my boyfriend?"

Oikawa rolled his eyes. "Very funny."

"I've just never seen you be so reasonable about Ushijima."

"Oh, shut up, we've been playing on sister teams for a year now. I'm not _completely_ impossible."

Hajime grinned. He stretched his feet out under the kotatsu and nudged Oikawa's leg. "I'm kidding. It's nice you two get on."

"Ugh, you sound like Mama," Oikawa said grumpily, before looking over at him with a sly expression. "Though I suppose you are the oldest, grandpa Iwa-chan."

"Even Ushiwaka's younger than me?"

Oikawa nodded. "Don't you remember? The teams had that party for him in the summer, when we were on tour."

It was vaguely familiar, but Oikawa spent so much time socialising with team members or work colleagues that it all blurred into one, and Hajime shrugged. "I guess. I should've known you had a thing for geriatrics."

Oikawa gave an exaggerated sigh. "Hip replacements and dentures are the only things that do it for me anymore."

Hajime burst out laughing. "You're disgusting."

"Who's more disgusting," Oikawa shot back, grinning at him. "Me, or you for liking me?"

"Still you," Hajime said, kicking him under the kotatsu again. "Hey, you'd better read that book."

Oikawa nodded. "I will, Iwa-chan!" he said, snapping off a mock salute.

"Good, now get up. It's your turn to cook, and I'm hungry."

"Iwa-chan!" Oikawa wailed. 

 

—

 

To Hajime's surprise, after a token burst of complaining, Oikawa read the book cover to cover in less than a week. He kept starting conversations about it; over dinner, or while they were brushing their teeth, and Hajime found himself unexpectedly grateful to Ushijima for effecting such a change. Oikawa was a voracious reader, but he preferred pop science and mystery novels, and the kind of bestsellers you bought in an airport and couldn't remember the characters' names the day after you'd read them. 

"I work hard enough, Iwa-chan," he would complain, whenever Hajime tried to push on him something more stimulating to read. 

"Your big brain is going to dissolve if you don't do something with it," Hajime teased him. "And then your giant head will just be full of air and you'll float away."

Oikawa smirked at him. "I don't know, that sounds kind of fun."

Hajime had thrown a book at him more than once. It was a good thing he wasn't that precious about his possessions. 

He was even more surprised when Oikawa came back one evening, the day before the practice match with Ushijima's team, bubbling about how he'd met Ushijima for coffee that afternoon, and they'd talked about books for two hours. 

"He gave me another one to read," Oikawa said, rummaging through his bag at the table while Hajime stirred the curry. "Two, actually, I don't know when I'm going to find the time to read them."

"Hey, the book club was my idea."

"And I appreciate it!" Oikawa said, flashing him a peace sign. "It's good for team bonding."

Hajime snorted. "I thought the idea was to bond with your own team members, not the opponents." 

"I've always gotten on well with my team," Oikawa said, shrugging. "But we see the others enough that we have to all be on good terms."

Realising how envious he sounded, Hajime hurried to correct himself. "Don't get me wrong, I'm glad you've stopped filling your head with complete trash."

"Iwa-chan!"

"And you're at least twenty per cent less annoying now you've stopped complaining so much about Ushiwaka."

Oikawa huffed and flicked his hair. "I'm going to ignore that. I _know_ you find me completely charming."

Hajime mimed a retching sound.

" _Fine_ ," Oikawa sighed. "You can join our book club. You and I can talk about the books at home, then if you say something clever I'll steal it and use it as a talking point with Ushiwaka."

"Typical," Hajime said, laughing. "Seriously though, I'm glad you two are getting on better. I know it sucked having to play against him all the time when you hated his guts."

"Yeah," Oikawa agreed, his brow drawing down. "I didn't realize how unpleasant it made everything until now, since it's gotten better." He shrugged. "Ushiwaka's not so bad, I guess." He grinned up at Iwaizumi. "He actually reminds me of you a little bit."

Hajime stared at him. "Me? How?"

"Not your height, obviously," Oikawa teased, and ducked out of the way when Hajime swiped at him. He sobered after a moment and glanced away as he continued. "He's...kind," Oikawa said softly. "And surprisingly thoughtful. Like you." Hajime's face heated in response to the unexpected compliment, but Oikawa wasn't finished. "I always assumed he was arrogant. Maybe he was in high school."

"Maybe," Hajime murmured, still blushing.

"Now, I think—" Oikawa shrugged. "He's confident, but not without reason. He doesn't seem very friendly, but I think that's just because he's not very good at talking to people. If anything, I think he might be a bit lonely."

There was a strange feeling in Hajime's chest that he couldn't identify, something squirmy and uncomfortable. He forced a smile. "Lucky for him that you could talk the legs off a cow."

"Lucky indeed!" Oikawa said brightly. "Now, it's your turn to talk. How was your day?"

Hajime shrugged, turning back to save his curry before it started to burn. "Same as usual." 

"Mm," Oikawa hummed. 

He sounded thoughtful, so Hajime left him to contemplate while he finished preparing their dinner, serving it up in large bowls so they could carry it to the couch. Oikawa tucked in after a hasty thanks, finishing his own serving before Hajime had eaten half of his, and going back for seconds. 

"You don't mind, do you?" Oikawa asked eventually, when they'd both finished eating.

Hajime glanced up from the TV and frowned. "Huh? I made extra on purpose, I know how hungry you get after practice—"

"No, no," Oikawa said, laughing. "I mean—about Ushiwaka. I know you don't really like him either, and if—"

"Don't be an idiot," Hajime said, nudging him with an elbow. "You can be friends with whoever you like." Oikawa still looked sulky, so Hajime wrapped an arm around his shoulders and tugged him closer. "Anyway, I never even hated him. Just hated losing to him." 

"Yeah," Oikawa sighed. He put an arm over Hajime's waist and snuggled against his side. "Thanks. You're not a terrible boyfriend."

Hajime snorted. "You are, but that's okay." He turned his head and kissed Oikawa's forehead. "I like that about you."

Oikawa grumbled, but he did a poor job of hiding his smile in Hajime's hoodie. 

 

—

 

Tooru was on his way to practice when his mother called. It had been several weeks since he'd bumped into Ushijima in a café and felt compelled to sit down and make conversation, and he was mostly relieved that Iwaizumi had kept his teasing to a minimum. The same could not be said for his mother.

 _"You and Ushijima-kun seem to be getting awfully close,"_ she said, her voice sly. _"Are you friends now after all?"_

Tooru groaned. "I don't know, Mama. He's not as annoying as he used to be, is that enough?"

His mother Saya laughed at him. _"I'm fairly sure I've heard Hajime say the same about you before."_

"Mama!" Tooru whined. "Don't be mean to me, I'm trying."

 _"I know, I know,"_ she said, still laughing softly. _"I'm sure it doesn't hurt to have such a handsome friend, either."_

"Ugh," Tooru said, making a face. "Ushiwaka? Handsome? Don't be disgusting, Mama."

 _"I didn't raise you to be rude like that, Tooru,"_ she said without much reproach. _"I'm sure Hajime would agree with me."_

"About Ushiwaka?" Tooru said, certain his face must be a picture of horror. "I certainly hope not."

Saya sighed heavily. _"Alright, I tried."_

"Tried to what?" Tooru said in a grumpy voice. "Set my boyfriend up with someone else?"

She laughed again. _"I can't imagine I'd have much success with that."_

"Absolutely not," Tooru said, though he was a little stung at the thought of it. "I'm sorry, Mama, I have to go now—practice starts soon and I still have to change."

 _"Alright, dear. Take care of yourself."_

"You too, Mama. Say hi to Nee-san and Take-chan for me."

They hung up, and Tooru went inside to change, greeting his teammates cheerfully. He'd agreed to meet Ushijima later in the evening, partly to return a book, and partly because Iwaizumi was working late, and Tooru didn't like going home to the empty apartment. 

Practice was difficult and overwhelming, and Tooru forgot about the conversation with his mother until he was in the shower afterward, thinking ahead to his meeting with Ushijima. 

_Ushiwaka, handsome?_ he thought as he rubbed shampoo through his hair. _As if_.

As he dressed, Tooru thought back to when he'd been in school and university. He hadn't thought Iwaizumi was attractive then either. Not that he was _un_ attractive, but he'd never looked at him as more than a friend, never seen how things could be different between them until it happened. The revelation that they liked each other had come as a surprise to both of them.

Ushijima was already waiting for him when Tooru finally reached the restaurant, but he didn't seem to mind that Tooru was running late—which was just as well, as Tooru had no intention of apologising. They went inside and took a table, and Tooru noticed Ushijima's eyes flick to his hastily-dried hair. 

"Don't say a word," Tooru said with a dangerous smile. "Practice ran over, I didn't have time to make myself beautiful for you today."

Ushijima offered him a tiny smile. "I was just going to observe that you've had a haircut."

"Oh," Tooru said, reaching up to touch his hair. It was shorter than he usually wore it, as his usual stylist was on her honeymoon and he'd done a terrible job of explaining what he wanted to her replacement. "I had it cut last week. Haven't I seen you since then?"

Ushijima shook his head. "I had to visit my parents at the weekend."

"I remember," Tooru said, smiling. "How's your sister doing now?"

"Very well," Ushijima said. "She is an accomplished gymnast." 

Tooru beamed. "Didn't you say she was in a contest at the weekend?"

Ushijima nodded. "She placed second," he said, face warming with a quiet smile.

"Ushiwaka-chan, that's wonderful! Next time, you ought to lead with that." He leaned in closer, lowering his voice to a conspiratorial tone. "Being a doting big brother rather suits you, you know."

For a moment, Ushijima's eyes widened, then they softened again and he glanced down at the table. "Thank you, Oikawa."

Tooru remembered what his mother had said about Ushijima being _handsome_. He may not have been Tooru's type, but talking about his sister gave him a kind of glow that made Tooru's stomach turn over. He cleared his throat and pushed it to the back of his mind. After they ordered food, the conversation turned to their families, and Tooru talked about his nephew, and Iwaizumi's little brother Chiaki, who was Takeru's best friend. Ushijima listened attentively, asking endless questions when Tooru mentioned that Takeru and Chiaki had both joined Seijou's volleyball team. 

"Did they go to Kitagawa Daiichi, too?" Ushijima asked.

The answer was, of course, yes, but Tooru eyed him shrewdly before confirming. "Why do you ask?"

Ushijima's smile was sheepish. "I still follow Shiratorizawa's progress every year. It's...sentimental perhaps, but I have fond memories of my school."

"Yes, I imagine you would," Tooru said, but was surprised to find that there was no bite in his words. After seven years, the pain of losing to Ushijima year on year had finally faded. It didn't hurt that he'd beaten Ushijima more than he'd lost since moving to university and pro teams. 

"I didn't necessarily mean just volleyball," Ushijima was saying, apparently having taken Tooru's taunt to heart. "But the team is still important to me, of course. They lost to Kitagawa last year."

Tooru nodded, confusion clearing. "Of course they did, I'd forgotten."

"Were your nephew and his friend on the team?"

Again, Tooru nodded. "Takeru's a wing spiker, number seven. Chiakkun played three or four I think, he was their setter."

"I remember him being rather short. That must be a challenge."

Tooru burst out laughing. Chiaki was sensitive about his height, but Iwaizumi was even more sensitive about it on his behalf. "He's grown a lot since last year, but yes, he's still one of the shortest." He smiled fondly, remembering endless practices with them the last time he and Iwaizumi had visited home. "He works hard to make up for it."

"I'm sure they'll do very well at Seijou too."

"You're just saying that to get on my good side," Tooru said, sticking his tongue out at Ushijima. "But yes, I'm sure they will." He gave an exaggerated sigh. "As long as they don't get distracted by girls."

Ushijima raised an eyebrow. "If I recall, you were usually surrounded by girls."

Tooru's laughter surprised him. "I'm amazed you even noticed. Besides, I wasn't _that_ bad. I hardly ever kept a girlfriend anyway."

"I believe you're what my mother would call a 'heartbreaker'."

It took Tooru several moments of staring at Ushijima wordlessly to realise that he was being teased. Ushijima's eyes crinkled at the corners when Tooru scowled. 

"Watch out, Ushiwaka-chan," Tooru said in a mutinous tone. "Maybe you'll be my next victim."

Ushijima shrugged, and tipped his bowl toward Tooru. "This is good, would you like to try some?"

 

—

 

After dinner, Tooru found himself being persuaded to go for another drink with Ushijima. His first instinct was to refuse—they had eaten late due to Tooru's practice session, and Iwaizumi would probably be on his way home by now. But there was always the chance that he was still working, and Tooru reasoned that he'd rather Ushijima's company than his empty bedroom. Although they still had regular practice, it wasn't the middle of the season, so Tooru figured he could allow himself one light beer. What his nutritionist didn't know wouldn't kill her.

One drink turned into three, and Tooru was delighted to find that Ushijima loosened up, albeit marginally, after two and a half beers. The bar was crowded and they had to sit close together to be heard, particularly as Ushijima's voice seemed to descend into even more of a soft rumble the more he drank. By the time they left they were sitting almost on top of one another, their elbows pressed tightly together, Tooru leaning in so he could talk Ushijima's ear off about the latest book Ushijima had given him to read. 

It was late when Tooru finally got home, and Iwaizumi had already gone to bed. Tooru crept around as quietly as he could, showering quickly and toweling himself off before climbing into bed. He wrapped an arm around Iwaizumi's waist and snuggled up to him, and Iwaizumi grunted and reached back to hold him. 

"Hey. Time's'it?"

"Nearly midnight," Tooru whispered, pressing his mouth against the side of Iwaizumi's neck. "Sorry, I tried not to wake you."

Iwaizumi snorted. "By climbing all over me."

"You're welcome," Tooru said sweetly, nuzzling Iwaizumi's jaw with his lips. 

"Tooru," Iwaizumi murmured, voice low and rough. His hand gripped Tooru more tightly. "You stink."

Tooru gasped. "How dare you! I literally _just_ showered."

Iwaizumi just snorted again. "Your breath reeks. You're gonna regret that in the mornin'."

"Oh, it was just a few beers," Tooru said dismissively. "I was hardly even tipsy."

"Mm."

Tooru hummed against Iwaizumi's neck, then mouthed at his earlobe. "Iwa-chan. Hajime. Are you sleeping?"

"With you here?" Iwaizumi mumbled.

Tooru grinned and hugged him more tightly. "You don't mind if I do things to you while you fall asleep, do you?"

Iwaizumi made a vague noise indicating that he didn't, but as Tooru's hand began to venture south, Iwaizumi grunted and elbowed him. 

"Wh're'y'doin'?"

"I told you," Tooru murmured, and reached down to stick his hand in Iwaizumi's underwear. "You lie there and look pretty, I'll just—"

"Just nothin'," Iwaizumi grumbled, grabbing Tooru's wrist. He tugged it away from him, then turned over, slinging his leg over Tooru's thighs and flopping his weight down on top of him. "Got'n early start. You too. Go t'sleep."

Tooru sighed and wrapped his arms around Iwaizumi's chest. "You're such a spoilsport, Hajime," he murmured, turning his head to kiss Iwaizumi's temple. 

But it was barely a minute before Iwaizumi curled his hand around Tooru's jaw and drew him into a lazy kiss. They kissed without haste; tongues sliding together, lips sloppy. Tooru let his hands roam across Iwaizumi's back and down his ticklish sides, reveling in the weight of Iwaizumi's body on top of his. He pushed his fingers into Iwaizumi's underwear again and used his grip to leverage their bodies against each other, a lazy grin spreading across his face when Iwaizumi began thrusting slowly against his hip.

In the end, neither of them got very much sleep.

 

—

 

"How was your wild night anyway?" Iwaizumi asked him the next day, when they both sat soaking in the bath after they got home from work. 

"My night?" Tooru asked, not bothering to lift his head from Iwaizumi's shoulder. "Oh, you mean with Ushijima?"

"Mm."

An indulgent smile crossed Tooru's face. "It was...nice. Surprisingly so. Who knew he was so easy to talk to?"

"I imagine the alcohol helped with that."

Tooru rolled his eyes. "Yes, yes," he sighed. "You were right and I was wrong. It was just a _little_ headache, barely a hangover at all."

"Right," Iwaizumi said, in the tone of one who was all too used to being right, and didn't appreciate the experience nearly as much as he should. 

"I just don't really understand why he's being so nice to me," Tooru said. He shifted around a little to get comfortable and sighed. "That's the second time he's bought me dinner, and I mean—I'm not about to turn it down, I just don't really know what I've done to deserve…" Tooru trailed off when he felt Iwaizumi start to shake underneath him. "What's wrong?" 

He sat up, and when he turned around he realised with a jolt that Iwaizumi was _laughing_ at him. 

Tooru blinked back at him. "What is it?" he asked, mouth curving at the corner. 

Iwaizumi was almost crying. "You—" he gasped, clutching his sides. "You better—put out." 

"Put out…?" Tooru murmured, but when he realised what Iwaizumi had said, his ears started to burn. "What's that supposed to mean?" he demanded.

Iwaizumi opened his mouth to respond, but he was overcome by another burst of giggling. Sighing, Tooru sat back and folded his arms, waiting for him to speak. 

"He—he's trying so hard," Iwaizumi said, wiping his face with his wrist. "You can't say you haven't noticed."

"Noticed _what_?" Tooru snapped, his impatience growing. 

Iwaizumi cackled. "Tooru—he's totally hitting on you."

Tooru's face turned pink. "No he isn't. It—it's Ushiwaka," he said, as if that explained it all. "I mean, I can see why you'd think that," he said, gesturing to himself. "Who wouldn't want this? But—"

"Oh my god," Iwaizumi said, still laughing. Tooru narrowed his eyes at him. "Look—remember when we got together?"

Tooru grinned. "Of course. I wouldn't forget you finally admitting I'm the love of your life!"

Iwaizumi made a face at him. "That never happened, but okay. It was a lot like what you're describing, don't you think?"

"No, of course not—" Tooru replied without thinking, but then he caught himself. He and Iwaizumi had started dating almost by accident; it wasn't until Iwaizumi kissed him that Tooru even knew he liked him. 

_Iwa-chan, he'd asked, what are you doing?_

_You bought me dinner again, I thought—wasn't this supposed to be a date?_

Tooru's face turned bright red, and he buried his head in his wet hands. "Oh, god. I'm Ushiwaka."

Iwaizumi snorted. "Maybe. Unless he knows he's trying to seduce you, in which case you should probably let him down gently."

Tooru groaned loudly. 

"Don't string him along like you did all those girls at university." 

"Don't say it like that," Tooru said, lifting his head solely for the purpose of pouting at Iwaizumi. "I hate to deny anyone the pleasure of my company." He wriggled back against him. "You wouldn't want anyone to miss out on this, would you?"

Iwaizumi rolled his eyes, but thankfully his desire to tease seemed to have been appeased. He sank back in the bath, nudging Tooru with his feet until he turned around again, relaxing back against Iwaizumi. They shuffled around for a few minutes, getting comfortable again and complaining amiably about the tight fit, and then Iwaizumi rested his hand over Tooru's heart and breathed out slowly, ruffling the hair on his temple. 

"You know," Tooru mused at length, tilting his head. 

"Mm?"

"Ushijima...he's not so bad, I guess." He sighed. "I hope he won't be too heartbroken."

Iwaizumi was quiet for a moment, then he shifted against Tooru's back. "Oh my god, Tooru."

"What?"

"You like him back, don't you?"

Tooru shot upright, eyes wide. "What? No! Of course not, don't be—he's just...he's only half as annoying as I thought he was, that's all!"

Iwaizumi snorted and poked Tooru in the back. "Wish I could say the same for you." He sighed, ignoring Tooru's huff, and slid his palm down Tooru's back in a soothing gesture. "You'd think after twenty years you'd realise that you can't lie to me."

"I'm not lying!" Tooru protested. He slapped Iwaizumi's hand away. "It's just—oh, I don't know," he muttered. His face was flaming. "This is all my mother's fault."

"How's that?" Iwaizumi asked, laughing softly.

Tooru groaned. "She kept going on about how handsome he is. Ushiwaka, I mean. The nerve!"

Iwaizumi burst out laughing. "I dunno—I guess I can see where she's coming from."

Slowly, Tooru turned to look at him. "What did you say?"

"Hey, you're the one with the crush," Iwaizumi said defensively.

"I am not!" Feeling petulant, Tooru splashed some water at Iwaizumi's face and then hauled himself to his feet. 

"Aw, Tooru," Iwaizumi said, but he was struggling not to laugh. "Come on, don't be a brat."

Tooru scowled at him as he reached for his towel. "I am not a brat."

"Why do you care anyway?" Iwaizumi asked, leaning over to rest his arms on the side of the tub. 

Turning back to look at him, Tooru groaned and chewed his bottom lip. The inside of his head was a tangle, full of things Iwaizumi and his mother had said, and teasing from his teammates that he'd disregarded at the time. He thought of the way he'd behaved with Ushijima the night before, and winced. "I...don't know," he admitted. 

Iwaizumi reached out, catching a twist of the towel in his fingers. "And you hate not knowing."

Tooru scowled. "Shut up."

"You know I don't care, right?" Iwaizumi said, giving the towel a sharp tug. "If you do like someone else. It doesn't bother me."

From anyone else, Tooru might have doubted it, but Iwaizumi had never been possessive of Tooru's time. He was never bothered by Tooru having other friends, or his endless failed relationships before they'd got together, and he never got jealous when Tooru flirted with other people. 

"That's sweet of you, Hajime," he said, and reached down to ruffle Iwaizumi's wet hair. "But I don't like Ushiwaka."

 

—

 

"Ushijima, look alive." Wakatoshi's captain slapped him on the shoulder as he passed. "We're up."

Wakatoshi straightened up, tearing his eyes away from the sight of the Red Cedar players warming up. "Yes, Captain."

Fujimura grinned at him. "Not like you to start daydreaming."

"No," Wakatoshi agreed. "I'm sorry."

"Don't mind, just hurry up and get in position."

With a firm nod, Wakatoshi picked up his feet and jogged over to take his place in line. The team had completed their stretches, and were moving on to spiking and receiving drills before the practice match began in earnest. Wakatoshi was near the end of the line of players waiting to spike the ball. He watched the first string setter Hatsumoto send up his first toss, and a thrill of anticipation rolled through him. It didn't matter how many times he did this, how many endless drills he endured; volleyball never ceased to make his heart pound. 

He glanced across the gym again, to where the other team were doing similar warmups. Oikawa hadn't yet changed into his official jersey, and instead wore a thin, worn t-shirt with a faded logo on the front of it. It was a little short for his long frame, and rode up every time he raised his arms to toss for one of his teammates. Wakatoshi found himself tracing the shape Oikawa's arms made as he tossed, admiring the easy bend of his elbow, the strength curled in the bulge of his bicep, the flex and stretch of his back each time he moved.

"Wake up, Ushiwaka!" someone called from behind him, and a friendly trainer nudged him in the behind.

Startled, Wakatoshi stumbled forward a few steps. He caught Hatsumoto's gaze just as he sent up the next ball, and rushed forward, leaping into the air just in time to catch the ball with the flat of his palm. The spike was off thanks to his late start, but he still managed a solid hit, sending it down just a little off centre. A chorus of cheers and laughter from his team followed the clumsy spike, and he turned to find his captain Fujimura rolling his eyes. 

"Sorry," he said, inclining his head toward Hatsumoto. "I was distracted. It was an excellent toss."

"No, no," Hatsumoto said, looking flustered. "It might have been a little long."

Wakatoshi shook his head. "The fault was mine. Please continue."

He jogged away, returning to the back of the line to prepare to receive the ball. Wakatoshi did not intend to look at the other team, preferring to remain ignorant of the looks he was getting, but the prickle on his neck became too much to bear. He turned, and looked straight into the amused eyes of Oikawa. 

The back of his neck grew warm, but Wakatoshi resisted the urge to look away again. Oikawa held his gaze steadily. Even though they were separated by almost the full length of a volleyball court, the net high between them, Wakatoshi had the uncanny sense of Oikawa being close enough to him to raise the hairs on his arm. Wakatoshi had been content so far to take things slowly, making up for lost time with their tentative friendship before taking their relationship to the next stage, but Oikawa's gaze pierced him deeply. Wakatoshi felt naked. This new desire still surprised him; Wakatoshi had never doubted that Oikawa was intelligent, but he was still fascinated by the warmth and curiosity that couched Oikawa's intelligence when he was focused on someone with friendly intent, rather than the cold precision he employed in volleyball matches, breaking his opponents down into component parts before obliterating them entirely. 

It wasn't until their last practice match two weeks earlier that Wakatoshi had looked at Oikawa—red and sweating and _desperate_ for the win—and _wanted_. Since then he hadn't been able to stop thinking about it.

At last, Oikawa smirked at him before turning away to resume practice with his own team, and Wakatoshi unwittingly let his eyes roam the length of Oikawa's sleek, toned body.

"Ushijima!"

Wakatoshi tore his gaze away. "Yes!"

"Get your head in the game," Fujimura snapped, his good-natured expression belying the harsh words. "Don't make me bench you."

"Yes, Captain."

 

—

 

There was something strange about Ushijima tonight. Tooru had sensed it the moment the Suntech Skylarks arrived at the gym.

At first he'd dismissed it as his own worries making him paranoid. Tooru hadn't seen Ushijima in almost a week, not since Iwaizumi had teased him that Ushijima had a crush on him. Although he'd done his best to put the thought out of his mind all week, seeing Ushijima again made it all come rushing back.

"Stupid Iwa-chan," Tooru muttered, stomping across the gym on his way to warm up. "Stupid Ushiwaka." The truth was that Ushijima looked really good in his blue Skylark uniform, something Tooru would never have noticed if not for his mother pointing out Ushijima's attractiveness, or Iwaizumi trying to convince him that Ushijima wanted to date him. It felt like the punchline of a joke that fate had been playing on Tooru for half his lifetime; losing to Ushijima over and over, finally beating him only to discover that he _liked_ him.

"Stupid fate," Tooru grumbled, picking up one of the balls out of the cart and spinning it between his fingers. 

Tooru took a deep breath and let it out again slowly. Ushijima was a distraction, but Tooru had long practiced the habit of shutting out distractions and letting himself focus solely on the goal in front of him. 

It didn't take him long to notice that Ushijima seemed to be struggling to do the same. 

Still, once the practice match began in earnest, Ushijima was his usual reserved self, and Tooru allowed himself to relax and play. They had recently gained an influx of new players from university teams, and their coach had introduced several into the starting line up for the practice match, so that they could acclimatise to the team's rhythm, and allow Tooru to learn and adapt to their play styles. 

The first set progressed with the usual rhythm of matches between the Skylarks and Red Cedars, exchanging points in sets of two or three, until Tooru's team pulled ahead to clinch it. The difference in the team's makeup began to make itself known in the second set. Fortunately for them, Ushijima still seemed distracted, and his uncharacteristic lack of focus was upsetting the balance of his own team. They took the second set, but Tooru rallied his troops for the third and they took it back with determination, winning by six points. 

"Congratulations, Oikawa," Ushijima said, approaching him as the teams mingled after the match. 

Tooru beamed at him, unable to help himself from rubbing it in. "Ushiwaka, it doesn't seem to be your night."

Ushijima shook his head. "Apparently not."

"You know," Tooru said in a sly voice, planting on hand on his hip. "If you need a little extra practice, don't be shy to ask your senpai."

"Thank you," Ushijima said. He glanced over his shoulder at his own teammates. "I shall ask Hatsumoto-kun about—"

Tooru groaned. "Ushiwaka-chan! I meant me, obviously."

Ushijima looked at him. 

"Oh my god," Tooru said, covering his face. 

"Oikawa."

"You were kidding again, weren't you? I hate you. When did you grow a sense of humour?"

Ushijima laughed softly. "Forgive me," he said, exhaling heavily. He lifted his shoulder and wiped the side of his face on his jersey, and Tooru found himself watching the shift of muscles in his arm and shoulder, eyes falling on a bead of sweat running down the other side of Ushijima's jaw, trickling down the v-neck of his jersey. 

"That's alright," he said faintly.

"Would next weekend suit you?"

Tooru blinked. "Next—what?"

"For extra practice," Ushijima said. He licked his mouth, glanced sidelong at his team again and then back to Oikawa. "If you—if that was a serious offer."

"Oh." Tooru watched Ushijima shift his weight minutely from one foot to the other. Another drip of sweat rolled down from his hairline to just below his ear. "Well, of course you want to practice with me, Ushiwaka-chan," he said, forcing a grin. "Though don't think I'm going to give away anything about our plays."

Ushijima's eyes widened, as though the thought hadn't even occurred to him. "Not at all," he said, his voice disarmingly sincere. "Watching you play is always very...instructive. You are the most versatile setter I have ever played with, if—"

"Alright, alright," Tooru said, holding his hands up for silence. "That's quite enough of that, Ushiwaka-chan." 

They had only played together on the national team for one season before separating back to their individual pro teams, and Tooru felt a sting of regret that they hadn't mended their relationship back then. They had rubbed along alright at the time, but Tooru knew too well that if they'd been friends then the way they were now, their team would have been unstoppable. 

"I accept your flattery," Tooru said, glad of the fact that he was still red-faced from practice. "I'm free next Saturday."

Ushijima inclined his head. "I look forward to practising with you."

"Yes, yes," Tooru said, waving his hand impatiently. "I'll try and read that last book you lent me by then, but no promises. Work is very busy this week."

"Take your time," Ushijima said, his expression eager. "I look forward to hearing your opinions on it."

Tooru waved him off with a groan. "Goodbye, Ushiwaka-chan."

Ushijima hovered. "Are you going out with everyone after practice?"

"Not tonight," Tooru said, regretting suddenly his promise to spend the evening with Iwaizumi. "Try not to miss me too much."

"Ah, I'm not going either," Ushijima said. "I will walk with you to the station."

"You don't have to—" Tooru said, but Ushijima had already walked away, heading toward the changing room.

Tooru stared after him, his chest fluttering in a way that was _extremely_ irritating and unhelpful. "Well," he muttered, watching Ushijima's broad back as he crossed the gym. "Shit."

 

—

 

Despite Oikawa's assurances that he didn't care either way if Hajime put on weight or not, it _had_ been too long since Hajime set foot in a gym. His job often required long hours, and he'd fallen out of the habit of getting up early to train, so he jumped at the chance when Matsukawa started a new job not too far from Hajime's, and asked if he wanted a gym buddy. 

Oikawa had promised to join them, but when the promised Saturday morning rolled around, Hajime took one look at Oikawa staggering home from practice and ushered him straight to bed.

"Hajime, don't fuss—"

"Shut it," Hajime said after he'd stripped Oikawa of his sweatpants and hoodie, and was tipping him into bed. "You've been burning the candle at both ends, you're gonna make yourself sick if you don't take it easy."

Oikawa pouted. "But I promised Mattsun. Who's going to spot you both? And make sure you do all your stretches properly? He's going to think I don't care about him!"

"We'll live." Hajime grabbed the duvet and tugged it up to Oikawa's chin. "Get some rest. I'll be back soon."

It was cold outside, the first ice of the season making some of the pavements slippery, but Hajime made it to the gym in one piece, and found Mattsun waiting for him. He was leaning against a wall and sucking on an energy drink pouch, both hands shoved in the pockets of his sweatpants, but he grinned and lifted one arm in a lazy greeting when he saw Hajime approach. 

"Hey," Hajime said, jogging over to him. "Sorry, Tooru couldn't make it."

Matsukawa gave him a sardonic smile. "What's his excuse this time?"

Hajime grimaced. "If he was here he'd say his busy social calendar," he said, shrugging. "But he's just tired from work, like a normal person."

"Sometimes I forget he's human like the rest of us."

"Ish. Come on, let's go in and get this over with."

Hajime jogged occasionally, and Oikawa had weights at home that Hajime toyed with now and then, but the first twenty minutes in the gym were murder. He and Matsukawa warmed up together, helping each other to stretch the way they used to at volleyball practice, then moved on to some of the weight machines. It wasn't until they got on the treadmill that Hajime started to feel better. The first five minutes felt like the worst five minutes of his life, but after that his endorphins must have finally started to release, because running suddenly became easier, his stride falling in naturally, and he spared Matsukawa a smug glance before upping the speed on his machine. 

"Bastard," Matsukawa said with a pained grimace.

Hajime laughed, and ran. 

He was exhausted but happy when they finally staggered off the treadmill, and moved across the gym to stretch out again before attempting some of the free weights. They made idle small talk about mutual friends, and Matsukawa asked after Oikawa's team. 

"We'll have to come to his next game," Matsukawa said, holding one arm across his chest. "Taka should be back in town by then."

"You know how much he loves it when you guys indulge him," Haime said, copying Matsukawa's stretches. "Have I told you about his new friend yet?"

Matsukawa's gaze slanted toward him, his mouth turned up wryly at the corner. "Finally got a bun in that oven? Congratulations."

“Ugh, never," Hajime said, miming a shudder. "Imagine nine months of him whining twice as much as usual. I'd kill him.”

"No court would ever convict you."

Hajime laughed. "Actually, the truth is even weirder than Oikawa being pregnant." Matsukawa raised his eyebrows, and Hajime paused for dramatic effect before continuing. "He's been hanging out with Ushijima.”

Matsukawa stared at him for several moments, unblinking, and then he burst out laughing. "Yeah," he said, chuckling. "That'll be the day."

“I'm dead serious," Hajime said, enjoying a quiet glee in relaying such an absurd story at Oikawa's expense. "Ushijima loaned him a book, which he actually read, and somehow it's evolved from there. They've been hanging out a few times a week.”

"Oh wow," Matsukawa said, blinking at him. And then he laughed again, even harder than before. After a minute, he had to hang onto Hajime's arm for support. "Can you—imagine—haha—going back ten years—and telling Oikawa about that?"

“Yeah, and that's not even all of it,” Hajime said without thinking. 

Matsukawa straightened up, tugging on Hajime's shoulder as he did so, and wiped his face on the sleeve of his gym shirt. "Oh yeah? He's not friends with Tendou too, is he? I think I could handle Ushiwaka, but not that lanky bastard."

Hajime made a face of exaggerated horror. “God, I hope that never happens. If it does, you'll have to help me stage some kind of intervention.”

"Deal," Matsukawa said, grinning. "Maybe we can find a way to signal to Tendou's home planet. If we're lucky they'll take Oikawa with them."

“I don't think they'd want to keep him, once they’d spent five minutes with him," Hajime said, rolling his eyes. "Anyway, that's enough about his highness. How’re things with Rinko?”

Matsukawa shrugged. "It's cool. I think she misses Taka, it's been a little off since he left. Won't be for much longer at least."

“Hm, it's funny how the three of you balance so well.”

"I guess so," Matsukawa agreed with a lopsided smile. "I never figured me and Taka would still be best friends after school and university and everything. In a way—I kinda feel like Rinko brought us closer again." He laughed after a moment and scuffed the toe of his trainer against the practice mats. "That sounds so fuckin' sappy."

“I promise not to tell anyone. I'm happy for you though." Matsukawa groaned and waved him off, and Hajime laughed. "Alright, I'm shutting up."

Matsukawa nodded and gestured to the bench. "Come on, let's get on with this before someone else wants to use it."

"Yeah," Hajime muttered, following him to the rack of weights. There he paused, watching while Matsukawa considered the kettle bells with a thoughtful look on his face. He hadn't really intended to say anymore, but after almost letting it slip once, Hajime found that the urge to tell was still pressing on him, loosening his tongue. He sighed and gave in. "Hey, listen—I don't know if I should say this but...I think Tooru kind of has a thing for Ushijima.”

"Mm. You wanna try—" Matsukawa trailed off, turning to look at him. "Come again?"

“Yeah, when I mentioned it he got pretty defensive. He didn't seem to realize it himself.”

Matsukawa blinked at him for a few seconds as though he hadn't understand, then his face creased into a dangerous smile. "Iwa," he said in a low voice. "That might be the funniest fucking thing you've ever said to me."

“Unfortunately, this is the one time I'm going to tell you not to tease Oikawa about something. Sorry.”

Matsukawa heaved a sigh. "This is a travesty."

“I know. I'll try to think of something to make it up to you.”

"You're too kind," Matsukawa said, grinning at him. He leaned down and patted the bench. "Come on, big boy. Show me what you can do."

Hajime rolled his eyes and played up to Matsukawa's teasing, but he soon realised how grateful he was for the levity when he discovered just how out of condition he was. A part of him was relieved that Oikawa wasn't around to see him struggling. He didn't doubt that Ushijima would've been able to lift the same without breaking a sweat. 

As they were on their way out of the gym, Matsukawa caught hold of Hajime's sleeve and tilted his head toward a nearby café. "Got time for a drink? We can get them to go if you need to get home."

Hajime nodded, and followed him inside. Matsukawa ordered for them both while Hajime stood awkwardly waiting by the door.

"Hey," Matsukawa said, bringing over two takeaway cups and herding him outside again. "This thing with Oikawa and you-know-who, I didn't mean to gloss over it before. You okay?"

"Eh," Hajime said, shrugging. “I don't mind it. It's not like Tooru would do anything about it.”

Matsukawa smirked. "Obviously. Not unless you told him it was okay."

Hajime let out a snort. "Right." He took a sip of his coffee and winced when he found it too hot. 

Matsukawa laughed softly, and Hajime glanced up at him. 

"What?" Hajime said, scowling. Then he went back over what Matsukawa had said, and his eyes widened. "Wait," he murmured, looking down at his hands on the cup. "You mean—you think I should let him date Ushijima?"

"If you want." Matsukawa shrugged. "Or not. It's your life, dude."

Hajime frowned. "Huh."

To his annoyance, Matsukawa laughed again. "Don't overthink it, Iwa. It's not for everyone, it's cool if you want him all to yourself."

"That's not it," Hajime said, grimacing. He could feel the shape of it in his mind, but it wasn't ready for him to put into words yet. "I don't know. I need to think about it."

"Good plan."

Hajime groaned. "God, why does he have to make everything so difficult?"

This time, Matsukawa's laughter made him smile. "That's what makes him Oikawa, isn't it? That's why we love him."

"Yeah," Hajime said, grinning reluctantly. "And why we want to strangle him at the same time."

"Exactly."

They said goodbye shortly after, and Hajime continued home. There was a park near the apartment he shared with Oikawa, where they often went jogging. With Matsukawa's words still weighing on his thoughts, Hajime got off the train two stops early so that he could take a detour via the park and use the opportunity to clear his head. The exercise had helped to quiet his mind, but the cold air and the crunch of frosted grass underfoot were just what he needed to help occupy his attention and allow his feelings to tick over in the background. 

For all that Oikawa flirted and fooled around, Hajime had never considered before that he might find someone he was serious about. Some fundamental, bone-deep part of him knew that Oikawa loved him, and that Oikawa wouldn't hurt him. It wasn't something that Hajime would have been able to put into words, but he knew it with the surety that he knew his own name. And if he was certain that Oikawa wouldn't leave him for someone else, then what was the harm in Oikawa seeing other people?

In the interests of science, Hajime forced himself to imagine watching Oikawa and Ushijima kiss. The thought of it didn't bother him, not even a little. He imagined them in his bedroom, the one he'd shared with Oikawa for almost two years. Ushijima pressing him down against the bed, kissing his neck the way he liked so much, Oikawa's hands in Ushijima's underwear. 

"Fuck me," Hajime said, stopping dead in the middle of the path. The image didn't bother him at all. If anything, he liked it a little too much. 

He turned and marched toward the entrance of the park, eager to get home to Oikawa. 

 

—

 

Oikawa was still in bed when Hajime got home. He'd taken another detour to buy some instant soup, and a small selection of Oikawa's favourite snacks, the kind he normally avoided under strict instruction from his nutritionist. 

Oikawa ventured out while Hajime was heating the soup, dressed only in his underwear and a blanket he'd wrapped around his shoulders. 

"Hajime," he said in a sleepy voice, crossing the apartment and crashing into him from behind.

"Ow, hey—"

Oikawa hummed and rubbed his face against the back of Hajime's neck, arms winding tightly around his waist. "You smell nice."

"Yeah, I showered at the gym."

"Whatcha making?"

Hajime reached down and peeled Oikawa's arms off his chest. "I'm making you soup. Get off me so I can finish."

Reluctantly, Oikawa released him and went to perch at the table instead. "How was Mattsun?"

"Good," Hajime said, picking up the saucepan to decant the soup into a bowl. "He spotted me on the weights. We talked about stuff. It was fun." He set the bowl down in front of Oikawa, who looked up at him with wide eyes. 

"Stuff?"

Hajime sank into the chair beside him. "Yeah, stuff."

"What kind of stuff?"

"You're nosy today," Hajime said, nudging the spoon toward him. "Go on, eat."

Oikawa grumbled, but he reluctantly picked up the spoon and started to eat. 

"Did you know they're still both seeing that girl? Hanamaki and Matsukawa I mean."

"Of course," Oikawa said between mouthfuls. "Rinko-chan is the only who could keep up with them both."

Hajime laughed. "She does give them a run for their money."

Oikawa grinned. "Exactly!"

"Eat your soup."

"Iwa-chan," Oikawa groaned, lowering his head again. 

Hajime watched Oikawa eat a few mouthfuls before clearing his throat. "So, I was thinking. If you wanted to go on a date with someone...I mean, it doesn't have to be Ushijima, but—" Oikawa's head snapped up, eyes wide. "Well," Hajime continued, "I don't think I'd mind."

Oikawa stared at him. "What?" He asked in a hoarse voice.

"What?" Hajime said quickly. "I'm just saying."

"Does Iwa-chan want to date someone else?"

"No! Why would I?"

Oikawa's nose wrinkled. "I don't know. You said it like…" He sighed and shook his head. "Never mind."

"Tooru," Hajime said, leaning across the table. He put his hand on top of Oikawa's head and ruffled his hair. "If I liked someone else, I would tell you."

"I know."

"I just—I know you like dating people, and if you wanted to go on a date with someone, I think I'd be okay with it."

Oikawa heaved an exaggerated sigh. "You've never been the jealous type," he said, rolling his eyes. "So annoying."

"I trust you," Hajime said simply. 

Oikawa looked up at him, eyes softening. "Hajime," he murmured. Then his smile turned wicked. "What did I tell you? We have perfect trust."

Hajime winced. "I take it back."

"Too late, Hajime!" Oikawa cheered, pushing aside his half eaten soup and flinging his arms around Hajime's neck. "You're stuck with me."

"I must've been a shitty person in a previous life," Hajime grumbled, but he only hesitated for a moment before pulling Oikawa into his lap and hugging him tightly. 

"You're a soft touch, Hajime," Oikawa purred, tracing his fingertip along Hajime's jaw. "You can't fool me, I know all about that tender heart of yours."

"Just go make out with Ushiwaka already," Hajime said, pretending to push Oikawa onto the floor.

Oikawa clung to him. "Iwa-chan, no!" he yelled, laughing loudly. "I want to make out with _you_!" 

Grinning, Hajime pulled him close, pushing his face against the side of Oikawa's neck and nuzzling the soft curls of hair behind his ear. "Sounds good to me." He ran his fingers along Oikawa's ribs, running over ticklish skin. "What about Ushiwaka?"

"He can wait until tomorrow," Oikawa murmured, catching Hajime's jaw and tilting him into a kiss. "You can rotate days."

Hajime laughed. "You can't kiss both of us in one day?"

"My lips could get tired!" Oikawa complained. "That wouldn't be very fair to either of you."

"Uh huh."

"Anyway," Oikawa went on, glancing away. "Maybe Ushiwaka won't want to make out."

"Yeah, you should probably ask first."

Oikawa thumped him on the shoulder. "I'm going to use these new powers to find a boyfriend who's _nice_ to me."

"Good luck with that."

"Don't lie to yourself, Hajime," Oikawa said, lowering his voice to a husky time. "You're lucky to have me."

Hajime groaned and pressed his face against Oikawa's neck again, pulling him closer. "Fuck you," he murmured, lips humming against Oikawa's throat. 

Oikawa laughed. "Please," he sighed, wrapping his arms around Hajime's neck.

"I'm not carrying you."

"Aw, Iwa-chan."

 

—

 

Wakatoshi was unaccustomed to feeling nervous. He had sometimes experienced a certain anxious excitement leading up to important matches, but nothing that compared to the churning, fluttering sensation that had been occupying his stomach all day. 

His apartment was spotless, but he walked around it anyway, searching for anything else that needed to be cleaned or tidied. He'd even cleaned his bedroom and put fresh sheets on the bed, though he had no expectation that Oikawa would even see it. 

Across the room, his phone chimed with a message, but when Wakatoshi checked it he found that it was only Tendou. 

_good luck waka-wakatoooshi!!_

_Thank you, Satori_

Just as he sent the message, the buzzer finally went, and Wakatoshi hurried to answer it and let Oikawa into the building. He slipped on his shoes, and went into the hallway to meet Oikawa by the elevator. 

"Ushiwaka-chan!" Oikawa said brightly, when he stepped off the elevator and found Wakatoshi waiting for him. "You didn't think I'd get lost, did you?"

Wakatoshi shook his head. "It's this way." 

"Gosh," Oikawa said, when Wakatoshi led him into the apartment. "It's bigger than I expected. I think it's almost as big as our place."

"You and Iwaizumi share an apartment?"

"Mm." Oikawa was examining his bookshelf, standing on tiptoe to run his eyes over the contents of the top shelf, where Ushijima kept his sports books. "You have quite a library, Ushiwaka-chan. Iwa-chan would be green with envy."

"You mentioned that he also likes to read."

Oikawa nodded. He picked a book off the shelf and flicked through it. "He was teasing me about starting a book club with you."

"I see," Wakatoshi said. "That would be interesting."

"Don't you start," Oikawa said, grinning at him over his shoulder. "It's bad enough having one nerd in my life."

Wakatoshi swallowed hard. "I'll get us something to drink."

"Thank you, Ushiwaka-chan!"

They chatted for a while over tea, but when they sat down to watch the movie Oikawa had brought with him—a cultural exchange he'd insisted upon after borrowing so many of Wakatoshi's books—Oikawa turned to him with a cheeky grin.

"Got anything harder than this, Ushiwaka-chan?" he asked, and winked. "I think this movie goes best with a drink."

"Don't you have practice this week?"

Oikawa laughed. "You're the one who dragged me to a bar last week. One drink won't affect your vertical that much, will it?"

"You're a bad influence," Wakatoshi said, though he was sure the faint smirk on his face would give him away, which was confirmed by the way Oikawa's grin widened. "I have some wine," he said. "It was a gift, I've been waiting for someone to drink it with."

Oikawa put a hand on his chest as though he was making a pledge. "I humbly volunteer as tribute."

Wakatoshi fetched them each a glass of wine, and they settled in on his couch to watch Oikawa's movie. The couch was large enough to seat three, but Oikawa sat close enough for Wakatoshi to reach him. Normally Wakatoshi took care to sit on the left of his right-handed friends, so that they wouldn't disturb each other when writing or eating, but Oikawa sat first, taking the left side of the couch, which meant that every time one of them lifted their glass, their arms would brush against each other. 

Several times during the movie, Wakatoshi caught Oikawa watching him, perhaps gauging his reaction to it, but the knowledge of Oikawa's gaze on him made his face warm. Oikawa had arrived wearing a hooded jacket over a t-shirt, but had removed the former partway through the movie, and the low v-neck of his t-shirt showed a tantalising glimpse of his throat and collarbones. Wakatoshi was finding it hard to concentrate on the movie, too preoccupied with the thought of pressing his mouth to Oikawa's throat, of discovering the taste of his skin. He wanted to reach out, but he was uncertain of his reception. He was sure that he'd made his own interest apparent by now, and Oikawa certainly seemed to be flirting with him, but Wakatoshi had misjudged such a situation before, and the thought of losing Oikawa's tentative friendship was unsettling.

Just as he was debating, Oikawa sighed and stretched, and let his hand fall between them. The back of his hand pressed lightly against Wakatoshi's thigh, and he caught his breath—waiting, motionless, to see if Oikawa would move it away again. Instead, his heart leapt when Oikawa's thumb shifted, his knuckle dragging slowly back and forth against the fabric of Wakatoshi's jeans. 

When he'd finished his glass of wine, Wakatoshi inched closer and moved his left arm to rest over the back of the couch, stretched out behind Oikawa's shoulders. 

Oikawa glanced at him again, then back at the screen quickly, his mouth curving up at the corner. 

"Are you comfortable?" Wakatoshi asked quietly. 

Oikawa's smile widened. "Perfectly," he said, still watching the screen. 

"Good."

After a moment, Oikawa glanced over at him again. "Is everything alright, Ushijima?" he asked in a low voice. "I don't think I've ever seen you fidget so much."

"Would you like some more wine?"

Oikawa tipped his head to one side. "Mm, alright. If you're having some." He leaned over, reaching for the remote. "I'll pause the movie for you."

"Thank you," Wakatoshi said, getting to his feet. "Is there anything you need?"

"You're so attentive." Oikawa looked up at him, eyes crinkling as he smiled again. "I'm fine, really."

"Just a moment."

Wakatoshi escaped to the kitchen, and opened the fridge to try and cool the heat on his face. He wanted to watch the movie, and felt guilty that his attention was so divided, but he couldn't stop thinking about kissing Oikawa. 

"Not that I don't love talking about myself," Oikawa called out suddenly, reminding him that they were only separated by a small dividing section of wall—that the kitchen and living room were otherwise a single small space. "But we don't talk about _you_ very much," Oikawa continued. "I feel like there are so many things I don't know about you!"

Clearing his throat, Wakatoshi closed the fridge and picked up the bottle of wine. "You can ask anything you're curious about," he said, crossing back to the couch. He poured them each another half glass of wine, and Oikawa took a long sip of his before he spoke again. 

"Hm, let's see." Oikawa set down his glass and put his finger to his cheek, pantomiming his consideration. Wakatoshi didn't doubt that he already had a string of questions ready and prepared. "How about your love life," Oikawa said eventually, turning to him. "You're awfully quiet about that. Are you seeing anyone?"

Wakatoshi frowned. He couldn't tell whether he was being made fun of or not; Oikawa's carefully neutral expression told him nothing. "I—no. I'm not."

"What a shame!" Oikawa said, brow creasing in sympathy. "Nobody on the horizon?"

"Oikawa, I—" Wakatoshi began. He sat down again. "Is this—are you teasing me?" 

Oikawa's eyes widened briefly, then he glanced away, looking chastened. "Do you know," he said softly. "I'm not even sure."

Wakatoshi's mouth was dry. He swallowed, and licked his mouth. "I'd...hoped it was apparent that I enjoy your company."

"Ushijima," Oikawa said quickly. "There's something I should tell you."

 _Ah._ Wakatoshi nodded. He was prepared for disappointment, even if he knew it would still hurt. It wasn't unexpected. "I'm listening."

"Firstly, ah—" Oikawa began, and reached up to rub the back of his neck. "This is a little embarrassing, but I—I didn't really notice your… _interest_ until a few days ago. Not until Iwa-chan pointed it out."

"I see."

Oikawa looked up at him with a rueful smile. "I think I was a little bit in denial about it."

"Well, he's correct," Wakatoshi said, feeling obliged to make his feelings clear now, knowing that he'd apparently failed to do so sooner. "I'm sorry if that wasn't what you wanted to hear."

"Yes," Oikawa said, looking away again. He seemed to be unwilling to look directly at Wakatoshi; his shoulders were drawn in, his hands clasped together in his lap. "I—I mean, no, that's not it. There's a second thing though."

Wakatoshi sighed inwardly. He was relieved that he hadn't had more to drink yet, and he longed for the conversation to be over so that he could begin to work out how he would move on from this. "Go on," he said, gesturing for Oikawa to continue.

Oikawa nodded. He was biting his lip, running his fingers back and forth over the back of his wrist. "Well," he began, brow crumpling. "Remember when we first started spending time together like this, and you asked if Iwa-chan and I were just friends? And I said 'of course we are'."

A large, cold fist closed tight around Wakatoshi's chest. "I remember."

"Well, we're not. Just friends."

"I see."

"A-and like I said, I—I hadn't realised that you—I had no idea how you felt, otherwise…" Oikawa sighed, shaking his head. "So, I'm sorry that I didn't tell you the truth. As you can probably imagine, we don't go around broadcasting it."

"Of course," Wakatoshi said, with as much calm and reason as he could muster. The fist squeezed him more tightly. "I understand." He turned away, reaching for the remote. "Would you like to continue the movie?

"Wait," Oikawa said, reaching out and putting a hand on his forearm. His fingers were warm, but Wakatoshi only had a moment to appreciate his touch before Oikawa pulled away again. "There's....one more thing. Although," he said, and that rueful smile returned. "I'm not sure of the best way to explain."

Wakatoshi didn't say anything—he'd run out of words already, so he just gestured for Oikawa to continue.

"I'd understand if you don't want to," Oikawa began, hedging his words slightly. "But—Iwa-chan suggested that maybe you and I could try dating. If you want to, of course."

"What about Iwaizumi?"

"I'd date both of you," Oikawa said. "That is, if you want that."

Wakatoshi's eyes widened. "What—what do you mean by that?" 

Oikawa leaned back, shrugging. "Honestly, I don't understand it all myself. But Hajime is some kind of maniac who doesn't get jealous, it seems, and he gave me his blessing to—to get another boyfriend, I guess." He tipped his head back further, looking up at the ceiling. "I suppose I'm horribly greedy. You should probably say no. But...well, I thought I ought to mention it, just in case." 

Wakatoshi's mouth was dry again. "I see," he murmured, although in truth he was struggling to see how what Oikawa was describing could be anything but infidelity. "How...would that work?"

Oikawa gave a strained laugh. "This is new to me too, Ushiwa—Ushijima."

"But you do—you are...interested in me?"

"Oh." Oikawa looked away from him, his cheeks flushing. "Yes." 

The fist holding Wakatoshi's chest loosened, ever so slightly. "I'm glad."

Oikawa chanced a smile at him, shy and still blushing, and Wakatoshi felt it right down to his toes. 

"Thank you for your honesty," he said, unsure of how to break the tension between them. "May I think it over?"

"Of course!" Oikawa said loudly. "Thank you, Ushijima. For—being so understanding." His nose wrinkled. "You're an annoyingly good person, you know."

Wakatoshi cleared his throat. "Thank you. Though I should have been more direct about my feelings."

"If anyone should've been more direct, it's me." 

Wakatoshi allowed a small smile. "Perhaps."

"Do you still want to finish the movie?" Oikawa asked after a brief, awkward silence. "I don't mind if you'd rather I go."

"No," Wakatoshi said, sitting back on the couch. "We should finish it. I'm enjoying it."

"Good," Oikawa said, drawing his feet up onto the couch again. "I was hoping you'd say that."

 

—

 

Wakatoshi had always preferred to keep his own counsel, but his pride had never held him back from asking for advice when he needed it. It was a week since he and Oikawa had watched the movie together, parting afterward with an awkward farewell, and the situation had been preying on Wakatoshi's mind ever since. 

"Waka-Wakato—oshi!" Tendou shouted from over by the ticket gate, raising his arms in greeting. He waved enthusiastically, then grabbed the shoulder strap of his bag and hurried through the crowd. When they were only separated by a metre or so he jumped into Wakatoshi's arms, yelling delightedly. "Wakatoshi! You came to meet me, you're such a good friend."

"Eita asked me to keep a close eye on you."

Tendou burst out laughing. "I'm sure he did," he said, flinging his arm around Wakatoshi's neck. "So, where we goin'?"

"Are you hungry? There's a place nearby that—"

"Always!" Tendou said, laughing again. He reached over and patted Wakatoshi's stomach. "And I know you can always eat."

"Not always," Wakatoshi said mildly. He glanced at Tendou. Despite his exuberance, he looked tired. There were dark circles under his eyes, and he was paler than usual, his voice a little rough. Wakatoshi hoped he wouldn't get sick; Tendou had a terrible reputation for taking care of himself when he was unwell. "You seem in good spirits," he said, for Tendou seemed cheerful despite his slightly ragged appearance. "Have you been well?"

Tendou grinned. "I'm amazing, obviously! What about you?" He paused as Wakatoshi steered them through a crowd to escape into the street. Outside it was just beginning to drizzle, and Wakatoshi pulled up the hood of his jacket, while Tendou fumbled in his bag for a battered looking umbrella. "It always rains when I visit, huh?"

They made small talk as they walked to the restaurant Wakatoshi liked. He had taken Oikawa there more than once, and had fond memories of the place. Tendou confessed that his new animation job was proving more challenging than he'd expected, but he seemed to be enjoying it all the same. Wakatoshi couldn't help but notice that he wore a wrist brace, but Tendou waved off his concern when he asked about it.

"So," Tendou said, when they were finally seated at a table in the noisy restaurant. "Are exciting things happening in your love life? Did that stuck up Oikawa-kun fall to your charms yet?"

Wakatoshi cleared his throat. "I hoped you could offer some advice, actually."

"Ah?" Tendou said, looking surprised. A mischievous grin spread across his face. "Well, of course! You came to the right person, Wakatoshi!" He leaned in and winked. "I am extremely experienced and knowledgeable in matters of the heart and groin." He propped his chin in both hands, watching him with an expectant look. "What's up?"

Ignoring his teasing, Wakatoshi cleared his throat again and glanced around to ensure they weren't overheard. "Have you ever dated someone who was already seeing another person?"

Tendou's brow creased. "Hmm, you know, it's funny you ask that because—uhh, wait. Are you two timing Oikawa-kun?" Tendou stared at him with wide eyes. He lowered his voice to a dramatic whisper and added, "Is he two timing _you_?"

"I'm not dating Oikawa," Wakatoshi said, shaking his head. "He is already seeing someone."

"Ah. That sucks. So, what, you wanna steal him away?" Tendou asked with a scandalised grin. "Wakatoshi, I never knew you had it in you!"

Wakatoshi shook his head again. "Of course not. But Oikawa suggested—his partner suggested that Oikawa could date me as well, if I'm agreeable."

"Ohhh," Tendou said, his expression clearing. "So it's like a polyamory thing?"

"I believe so," Wakatoshi said. He'd gathered as much while looking for advice online about his situation, though most of what he'd found hadn't been particularly helpful.

Tendou gave him a doubtful look, mouth pursed. "That somethin' you wanna do?"

"I'm not certain," Wakatoshi murmured, lowering his voice when he saw the serving staff approaching their table. "I like Oikawa a great deal."

"You poor guy," Tendou said, grinning. 

They ordered food, and Tendou propped his elbow on the table, looking out across the restaurant thoughtfully. "Oikawa, huh."

"You don't approve?"

Tendou scrunched his face up thoughtfully. "I mean, shit—I wouldn't push him out of bed." He sighed. "But still. I guess you gotta ask yourself if you're okay with sharin'. And talkin'." He looked over at Wakatoshi, his gaze unusually stern. "That shit won't work unless you're gonna tell him upfront what you want."

"Do you have experience with this kind of situation?" Wakatoshi asked.

"Ehhh, kinda. Some," Tendou said, dropping his hand to his lap. "The last girl I dated had a boyfriend."

"And?" Wakatoshi pressed.

"I dunno, I think that was different," Tendou said, shrugging. "Her boyfriend travels, and she only wanted to see me when he was out of town."

Wakatoshi's face fell. "Ah." 

"Yeah. She _said_ he knew about me and stuff, but uh. Still kinda sucked when I wanted to see her, but she was busy with the other guy for a week." He winced. "Even if it _was_ all upfront and honest—and between you and me, I dunno that it was—it didn't feel like it." He laughed. "Not my problem though."

Wakatoshi nodded in what he hoped was a sympathetic manner. "That's my concern. I don't want to be...backup, for when Oikawa has no other plans."

Tendou sighed. "Yeah. You think he's the type?"

Having come to know Oikawa a little better over the past few weeks, Wakatoshi couldn't imagine him deliberately hurting someone he was close to, but he was aware that they still didn't know one another very well. He shrugged, and Tendou seemed satisfied with that as an answer.

"Who's this other person anyway?" he asked instead. "He tell you? Maybe it could be a _menage a trois._ " He gave an exaggerated wink, and Wakatoshi smiled reluctantly.

"That seems even more complicated," he said, and Tendou laughed. 

"Well, you asked for my advice, so here it is," he said after a minute. "I think you should tell Oikawa you wanna be a real boyfriend, not just a stand in. If that's not what he's after, ditch him." 

Wakatoshi smiled. "You're right. Thank you, Satori."

"You're welcome!" Tendou said, beaming at him."Okay, where's this food? I'm starving."

 

—

 

Almost two weeks passed after Tooru's awkward confession before Ushijima suggested they meet up again. They had spoken in that time, the odd message here and there, but had both carefully avoided the topic of relationships. 

And then, the previous night, Ushijima had suddenly called him to ask whether they could meet the next day. Tooru had been a nervous wreck all morning. 

"You're overreacting," Iwaizumi told him, when Tooru couldn't stop pacing back and forth in front of the couch. "At least sit down while you panic, you're getting in the way."

"How can you play video games when I'm having an emotional breakdown, Iwa-chan?" Tooru wailed. "This is serious!" 

Iwaizumi growled at him, brandishing his playstation controller threateningly. "Your injuries are gonna be serious if you don't move and let me finish this boss fight."

Groaning, Tooru flopped down on the couch beside him. "He's going to break up with me."

"You're not even dating," Iwaizumi said without a trace of sympathy.

Tooru huffed. "He's going to break up with me as a friend then."

"No, he isn't." Iwaizumi turned, his eyes still on the screen, and kicked Tooru in the thigh. "Go and get dressed already."

"Iwa-chan! Don't be cruel to me."

"You're pissing me off."

Tooru winced. "Hajime," he said more quietly. "Does it bother you?"

Finally, Iwaizumi paused his game and turned to look at him. "You talking about Ushijima? No. You whining about it constantly when you don't even know what's going to happen? Yes."

Tooru groaned, and slumped over on top of him. "Iwa-chan?"

"Mm."

"I don't deserve you."

Iwaizumi snorted with laughter. "Tell me something I don't know."

For perhaps the first time since Tooru had started spending time with Ushijima he was early to meet him, which only made it all the more infuriating when Ushijima texted to apologise that he was running late. By the time he finally arrived, Tooru had almost finished his second coffee and was jittery and nervous. 

"Oikawa," Ushijima said when he spotted him, coming over to the small corner table. "Please excuse my lateness."

"Of course!" Tooru said quickly. He couldn't help noticing the way the shade of Ushijima's sweater complemented his eyes, or how good his thighs looked in his jeans. He wondered how he'd missed it before. 

"Can I get you something?" Ushijima asked.

Tooru shook his head. "No no, I'm fine. Didn't you want something?" he asked as Ushijima began to sit down.

"That's alright," Ushijima said, shaking his head. "How have you been? Busy?"

"Oh, no more than usual," Tooru said, waving his hands in a dismissive gesture. "What about you?"

Ushijima nodded. "The same. Satori visited over the weekend, so I was preoccupied. I apologise if I have seemed distant." 

"Not at all," Tooru said with a brilliant smile. "You're here now."

"Yes," Ushijima said, returning his smile shyly. "I wanted to see you."

Tooru's ears warmed. He was trying not to get his hopes up too high, but Ushijima's words made warmth radiate through his chest, a longing that he was still surprised by. "I did too," he said softly. "Want to see you, I mean." He looked down at his hands, turning the near empty coffee cup around in his grasp. "I didn't want to be...pushy, I guess. So it's good that you texted."

"I appreciate you giving me space to think."

Tooru looked up and caught Ushijima's gaze. He'd been so wrapped up in his own worries—whether he liked Ushijima, whether Ushijima liked him, how Iwaizumi would feel about the whole thing—that Tooru hadn't really stopped to consider that Ushijima probably felt just as lost and confused as he did, if not more. "Of course," he said, smiling warmly. "I was pretty confused about it myself."

"I—have some questions," Ushijima said.

"I thought you might," Tooru said, spreading his hands in a magnanimous gesture. "Ask away!"

Ushijima nodded slowly. He still seemed to be gathering his thoughts, and Tooru took the opportunity to look at him while he was distracted. Ushijima's eyebrows were drawn together, and his cheeks were pink from the wind. His mouth was thin, and Tooru thought of Iwaizumi's full lower lip with a sudden surge of desire; as he watched, Ushijima caught his bottom lip between his teeth, worrying it gently. Tooru shoved his hands under his thighs and tried to think of something dull. 

"No hurry, Ushijima," Tooru teased gently.

Ushijima met his gaze. "Tooru. Firstly, ah—how would this work?" he asked, gaze reading heavy on Tooru's face. But just as Tooru opened his mouth to reply, Ushijima kept going. "I respect your relationship with Iwaizumi. I don't want to get in the way at all, but if we were to be— _involved_ , I would want to be a significant part of your life."

"I want that too," Tooru said with a shy smile. He wished he was brave enough to reach across the table and take Ushijima's hand. "You _may_ have noticed I'm a social creature at heart, and Iwa-chan is used to sharing me, so it wouldn't be a major change for him." He sat back, laughing a little. "Honestly, I don't think you could get in the way if you tried. If we haven't gotten rid of each other after twenty years, I think it's a safe bet we'll survive one errant wing spiker."

Ushijima's smile was warm. "I'm not sure I've ever been called 'errant' before."

"See?" Tooru said with a cheeky grin. "You're having new experiences already."

"Yes," Ushijima agreed amiably.

"So!" Tooru continued, clapping his hands together. "It's just a matter of us deciding how it would be. It seems a little backwards, doesn't it, negotiating before you've even gone on a date?"

Ushijima shrugged. "Perhaps other relationships would benefit from such a rational approach."

"Perhaps they would." 

"Can I—" Ushijima said after a moment, breaking off awkwardly. "That is—would you like to go for dinner? A real date, as it were."

Tooru perked up. "A romantic dinner?" Ushijima nodded. "Will you sweep me off my feet?"

Ushijima raised an eyebrow. "I believe that it is your turn to do some sweeping."

For several seconds Tooru just stared at him, chest fluttering. It was the first time Ushijima had acknowledged that Tooru had essentially strung him along for weeks, whether it had been intentional or not. Tooru was about to apologise when he caught the twitch of Ushijima's mouth and started to laugh. "Of course," he said, raising his hands in surrender. "You're right. Lucky for you, romance is my speciality."

"I thought that was your service ace."

"Flatterer," Tooru said, winking at him. "Obviously, I meant my speciality outside of volleyball."

"Ah."

"I'm going to romance your pants off," Tooru said proudly, before he heard his own words and winced. "Wait, I didn't think that through—"

Ushijima raised his eyebrow again slightly. "I would not be averse."

Tooru looked away. "You'll make me blush."

"You say that as if it's a bad thing. I'd like to make you blush."

"Well," Tooru said, resisting the urge to cover his face with both hands. The reality of Ushijima flirting with him was not something he felt remotely prepared for. Iwaizumi was going to be very amused by it. "I predict you'll be successful."

"I'm looking forward to it."

"Now I see your true colours," Tooru sighed. He glanced down at his own empty cup. "Are you sure you don't want a drink? Do you have some time?"

Ushijima smiled, and the sight made Tooru's heart turn over. "I do have time, yes." 

"Good," Tooru said, relaxing in his seat. He noticed Ushijima do the same. "You haven't been worrying yourself this past week, have you?"

"Was I supposed to tell you if I was?" Ushijima asked.

Tooru groaned. "You were! I'm sorry, I made rather a mess of this." He shook his head, and fixed Ushijima with a stern look. "Well, never mind. Just promise you'll tell me next time."

"I promise." Ushijima cleared his throat. "I admit I'm a little...nervous. This is new to me."

In a fit of boldness, Tooru reached across the table and put his hand over Ushijima's. "It's new to me too," he said quietly. "So, we'll have to figure it out together."

Ushijima turned his hand and slid his fingers between Tooru's. "I'm happy to have you on my team, Oikawa."

Tooru's ears burned. "Ushiwaka-chan, don't embarrass me when I'm being so nice to you."

Ushijima laughed softly. "I already told you, I enjoy it when you blush because of me."

"Oh, god," Tooru groaned, covering his face with his free hand. "This is going to be a nightmare, isn't it? Between you and Iwa-chan, I'm going to have someone on my case constantly."

"Maybe he and I should exchange phone numbers," Ushijima suggested. "So that we can coordinate our schedules."

Tooru burst out laughing. "Stop!" he said, grinning as he squeezed Ushijima's fingers tightly. "Why don't we start with that date, hm?"

Ushijima nodded. "I'm looking forward to it."

**Author's Note:**

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